Socket for radio vacuum tubes



A c. SAENGER SOCKET FOR RADIO VACUUM TUBES Filed Oct. 17. 924

FILAMENT CIRCUIT PLATE CIRCUIT QFUD CIRCUIT IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 23*, 192?.

eeann ear-ear orator.

CARL SAENGER, OF IBVINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

SOCKET FOR RADIO VACUUM TUBES.

Application filed October 17, 1924. Serial No. 144,140..

This invention relates to improvements in socket connections for vacuum tubes or thermionic amplifiers such as are employed in wireless telephone and telegraph apparatus.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of socket adapted to minimize high frequency losses and undesired coupling, particularly between the late and grid circuits of a vacuum tube,

which arise by reason or. capacity, resistance or absorption efi'ects of the insulation mate rial of which the socket is made. Preferably I provide an air gap intermediate the binding posts and contacts respectively serving the grid and plate connections of the vacuum tube. thus interrupting the surface of the socket'body and tending to prevent leakage by surface conductivity between those points and, also, tending to decrease m displacement currents, dielectric absorption and capacity eliects.

As is well known in theart t'o invention appertains. the effect of resistant material is verv different with difl'erent frequencies. The higher the frequency. the more necessary it is to examine the action of a dielectric and particularly in the tube socket which lies in the ra idlv changing radio frecluencvfield. it is desirable that there be no dielectric absorption of signal energy. no phase angle diflerence due to the dielectric used. no partial short circuiting between socket connections either by current leakage over or through the dielectric. and no coupling of the circuits bv capacity action because of the high specific capacity of the material lying between the respective terminals oi the socket.

Other ohiects of this invention. not at this time more particularly enumera ed. will be clearly understood from the following detai ed description thereof.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the.

accompanving drawings. in which Figure 1 is a top end view of the novel socket structure. made according to and embodying the principles of this invention: Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same:

' Fi ure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sect-ion.

w taken on line 3-3 in Figure 1: Figure 4 is a horizontal section. taken on line 44 in Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a bottom end new of the novel socket structure.

Similar characters of reference are em-- ployed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the complete socket made according to the principles of this invention, the same comprising a basemember 6 made of a suitable insulation material, such, for example, as phenolic material, porcelain, glass, etc. Rising from the upper side of said base-member 6 is a tubular socket shell or sleeve 7. The socket shell or sleeve 7 may be formed integral with the base member 6, or it may be separately formed and suitably attached to said basemember. In the latter case, the shell or sleeve 7 may be made of an insulating mate rial, the same as the base-member. for example. of phenolic material, etc. or it mav be made of an insulation material of different character than that of the base memher. or it may be even made of metal, if desired.

Said base member 6 is provided in its bottom side with a recessed or countersunk cavity 8. Seated within said cavity 8, so as .to respectively project diagonally inward with their free ends spaced apart beneath the bore of the socket shell or sleeve 7 are a plurality I of metallic contact member's. comprising. on one side. a positive filament circuit contact member 9 and a negative filament circuit contact member 10. and. on the other side, an input or grid circuit contact member 11 and an output or plate circuit contact member 12. In order to hold the respective contact members against displacement. ribs 13 may be provided at each side of the ends thereof which are attached to the base. It will be understood that. when a vacuum tube. audion or thermionic amplifier (not shown) is inserted in the socket,.the positive and ne ative terminal contacts of the filament will engage respectively the positive contact member 9 and negative contact member 10 of the socket. while the terminal contact of the grid will engage the grid contact member 11. and the terminal contact of the plate will engage the plate contact member 12. thus operativelv engaging the tube in a circuit to be served thereby.

Extending upwardly through the attached end of the positive filament contact member 9 is a binding post screw 14, which passes through the body of the base member 6 so that the upper free end thereof is disposed above the base member 6 and exteriorly of the socket shell or sleeve 7, and upon which is arranged a thumb-nut 16, whereby such parts serve as a binding post for attaching the positive circuit wire of a filament serving circuit to the positive filament contact member 9, while at the same time such parts serve as a mechanical means for fastening said contact member 9 in operative assembled relation to the base. In like manner, a binding post screw 17 and thumb nut 18 are provided to serve as a binding post for attaching the negative circuit wire of a filament serving circuit to the negative filament contact member 10. In like manner, a binding post screw 19 and thumb nut 20, are provided to serve as a binding post for attaching an input circuit wire to the grid contact member 11, and a similar binding post screw 21 and thumb nut 22 are provided to serve as a binding post for attaching an output circuit wire to the plate contact member 12. It will be understood, that my present invention is not concerned with any particular form of the several contact members or binding post connections therefor, and that in this respect any variation in the form or construction of such parts is within the scope of this invention, the above described arrangements and construction being illustrative only. 7

The portion of the base member 6 and socket sleeve 7 of the socket device which lies intermediate the input or grid circuit contact member 11 and output or plate circuit member 12, are respectively partially cut away to render the bodies thereof discontinuous at such point, and to provide air gap portions 23 and-24, which together extend entirely through the base member 6 and socket sleeve 7 in a direction substantially vertically upward through the base member 6 and continued upwardly through the socket sleeve 7. This air gap being interposed between the input or grid-circuit contact member 11 and binding post and the output or plate circuit contact member 12 and binding post reduces dielectric losses between such circuit connections which tend to weaken the electrical impulses passed to the grid of the tube. This efiect is due to the substitution of air as a dielectric between the contact members 11 and 12, in place of the solid dielectric of the socket base, air being known as the most perfect dielectric in these respects. The dielectric material of the socket base is thus discontinuous between the two contact members 11 and 12.

It will, of course, be understood that I am not concerned with any particular shape of socket device, or with any particular mechanical means with which it may be provided for holding a vacuum tube coupled thereto, neither am I concerned with any particular shape which may be imparted to the air gap. The essential feature of my invention which I intend to broadly claim is the provision in a socket device of an interrupting air ga of any desired shape intermediate the grid contact and its binding post and the plate contact and its binding post with which the socket device is necessarily provided. T It will also be understood that I do no limit myself to the use of my invention in any particular kind of a circuit, but claim the same for use in any electrical connection or apparatus in which a vacuum tube is employed on its functions desired in either receiving or transmitting electrical impulses. I Having thus described my invention, I claim v I 1. In a socket device for radio vacuum tubes provided with contact connections for an input or grid circuit and contact connections for an output or plate circuit a socket body of dielectric material discontin-.

uous between said first mentioned contact connection and said last mentioned contact connection, whereby surrounding air becomes the only dielectric path directly between the former and latter contact connections.

2. A socket device for radio vacuum tubes, comprising a socket body of suitable struc 'ture provided with contact connections for an input or grid circuit and contact connections for an output or plate circuit. said socket body being discontinuous at a point intermediate the former and the latter."

3. A socket device for radio vacuum tubes comprising a socket body consisting of a base member of insulating material and a tubular socket shell connected with said base member, said base member having contact connections for an input or grid circuit and contact connections for an output or plate circuit, said base member being cutaway to provide an air gap intermediate said input or grid circuit contact connections and said output or plate circuit contactconnections, and said tubular socket shell being likewise cutaway to provide an air gap continuous with said air ap of said-base member.

4. In a soc (et device for radio vacuum tubes provided with Contact connections for an input or grid circuit and contact connections for means for rcducingi 1o trunscr of energy between said firstnamed connections and said last named connections. said means comprising discontinuous dielectric material so adapted and arranged that intervening air an output or plate circuit.

becomes the only leakage path directly bebody and its base member being discontinw' tween said first and last mentioned connecous between certain of said contact conneotions. tions. l 5. A socket device for vacuum tubes, com- In testimony, that I claim the invention I prising a socket body having abase member set forth above I have hereunto set my hand of insulating material provided with contact this 14th day of October, 1924. connections for various circuits, said socket CARL SAENGER. 

